Container



July 5, 1966 Filed Dec. 18, 1963 L3 1/12 20 1.5 /2 .12 l r K 16 g 1% \JS\/4 16a FIG-l L19 /4 1 i 10 H I f L! 16J 15 FIG.2

INVENTOR. FRANK J. SPANG United States Patent Ofitice 3,259,299CONTAINER Frank J. Spang, Winchester, Mass, assignor to The B. F.Goodrich Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec.18, 1963, Ser. No. 331,622 2 Claims. (Cl. 22932) This invention relatesto packaging and pertains more particularly to a container such as ashoe box which is provided with a tab integrally attached thereto thatcan be detached from the container without adversely affecting thecapacity of the container to serve its function as a container.

Many items of merchandise are packaged in individual boxes forconvenience in stacking the items for the purpose of storage or indisplays or under counters where they are readily accessible. Thecustomary manner of boxing footwear is a typical illustration of thismethod of packaging, pairs of boots or shoes being packaged in shoeboxes which then are stacked according to style and size along the wallsof the shoe department or shoe store. Maintaining a necessary inventoryof items packaged in this manner frequently presents a problem, however,particularly when a large number of styles and sizes are involvedandwhen it is desirable to maintain a sizable inventory of commonlyrequested styles and sizes and when the volume of sales is substantialsince it is diflicult to keep accurate up-to-the-minute records of thenumbers of particular styles or sizes of the item which have been soldunless periodically a complete inventory of stock on hand is made.However, by the time the inventory is completed the supply of the itemin commonly requested styles and sizes may have been expended and salesof this style and size may be lost to a competitor until a new supply ofthe expended styles and sizes is obtained. It will be understood thenthat any means which tends to aid in maintaining a proper level ofinventory of a product would be extremely beneficial.

The present invention permits a more accurate up-tothe-minute evaluationof the inventory on hand without an actual inventory of stock havingbeen taken by providing the container with a tag or tab on which may beprinted the pertinent information needed for recording the type of item,its style and size (if there be such) and any other information deemednecessary and which tab or tag can be detached from the container at thetime that the item is sold without adversely affecting in any way thecapacity of the container to function as such. It will be appreciatedthat the tab or tag which is detached from the container at the time ofsale not only serves as a means for indicating the number, style, size,etc., of items sold but also actually can be returned to themanufacturer as an indication that one desires replacement items to beshipped in accordance with the styles, colors, sizes, etc. representedby the detached tabs or tags so that the inventory depleted by sales canbe replenished conveniently.

While suggestions have been made for accomplishing this result, thesuggestions which have been made have not been entirely satisfactory.The inclusion of a reorder slip packaged in the container with the itemdid not meet with complete success since the reorder slip often was notobserved or being separate from the container became lost and therebycould not serve the intended function. Use of a part of the actual wallof the container as a reorder slip is not entirely a satisfactorysolution since the container itself is destroyed when the reordersection is torn from the box wall or its capacity to function as acontainer seriously is impaired. In accordance with the presentinvention, however, the detachment of the 3,2593% Patented July 5, 1966reorder tab or tag in no way impairs the capacity of the container tofunction as a container.

The invention will be more clearly understood by referring to thefollowing description of one embodiment of this invention and byreferring to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a shoe box blank for the bottom section of a shoe box whichblank embodies the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially broken away and in section of theshoe box bottom section formed from the shoe box blank shown in FIG. 1.

As indicated by the description of the figures of the drawing, a shoebox has been chosen to illustrate the present invention. As is commonlyknown, a shoe box customarily is comprised basically of an open-topreceptacle into which the pair of footwear is deposited (whichreceptacle shall be referred to hereinafter as the bottom section of thebox) and a top or lid section which fits over and closes the open-top ofthe bottom section of the shoe box. The top or lid section of the box isformed from a blank cut from. a fiat piece of cardboard which blank whenfolded in the proper manner and retained in the folded condition formsthe top face of the box with a downwardly depending lip around theentire periphery of the top face which fits over the open top of thebottom section of the box. The lid section of the shoe box hereillustrated is of conventional construc tion and, therefore, is notshown in the drawing and is not described in further detail hereinaftersince the construction of this section of the shoe box, being ofconventional construction, will be apparent to those familiar with boxmanufacture.

The bottom section 10 of the shoe box is formed from the box blank 11shown in FIG. 1. The box blank 11 is cut from a flat sheet of cardboardof rectangular shape and is grooved or otherwise processed to formcreases 12, 12 that define, when the blank properly is folded thereon,the bottom panel 13 of the box, the two side panels 14, 14 of the boxand the two end panels 15, 15 of the box. In forming the box blank 11,material is removed from the corners of the fiat rectangular-shapedsheet of cardboard from which the blank 11 is formed. As is indicated inFIG. 1, a generally rectangular piece is cut from three of the cornersof the rectangular sheet of cardboard leaving, however, a section 16, 16in each of the three corners that is attached along one edge to a sidepanel 15 of the box, attachment of sections 16, 16 to the end panel 15of the box being precluded by a slit 17, 17 that separates the sections16, 16 from the end panel .15 adjacent thereto. The length of sectionsor flaps 16, 16 preferably is such that when the box is properly foldedwith the flaps 16, 16 against the inside face of an end panel 15, theadjacent edges of the flaps 16, 16 do not quite meet although they arespaced only a slight distance apart. The fourth corner of the shoe blank11 also is provided with a flap 16a attached along one edge to the sidepanel 14 that is adjacent thereto and separated from the end panel 15adjacent thereto by slit 17a. Flap 16a is similar in shape to the flaps16, '16 positioned in the other three corners of the blank 11 exceptthat flap 16a in addition is provided with a tab 18 that extends fromthe distal end of the flap 16a and can be conveniently detached fromflap 16a along a line of detachment 19, the detachment of tab 18 fromthe main body of flap 16a preferably being aided by providingperforations along the lineof detachment 19 (as represented in thedrawing) or by partially cutting through the thickness of the cardboardof the blank 11 along the line of detachment 19. The distal ends of endpanels .15, 15 are shown to be provided with flaps 20, 20 whose purposewill be explained hereinafter. As is shown in FIG. 1, the side edges ofeach flap 16, '16, 16 and 16a converge toward each other slightly asthey ex- 3 tend from the line of attachment of the fiat with the sidepanel toward the distal end of the flap.

When properly folding the box blank 11, the side panels 14, 14 areturned up to a vertical position by folding the panels 14, 14 along thecreases 12, 12 that separate the bottom panel 13 of the box from theside panels =14, 14 and the flaps 16, 16, 16 and flap 16a are foldedinwardly along the creases 12, 12 that separate the respective flaps'16, .16, 16 and 16a from the respective side panel 14 to which they areattached to form right angle corners. The end panels 15, 15 then areturned up along the creases 12, 12 that separate the bottom panel 13from the end panels 15, 15 until panels 15, 15 assume a verticalposition adjacent the flaps '16, 16, 16 and 16a with each of the flaps16, 16, 16 and 16a bearing against the inner face of the end panel 15 towhich it is adjacent. Flap 16a is positioned with respect to the flap 16that is a'butted thereto when the blank 11 is folded as above describedso that tab 118 of flap 16a extends inwardly of fiap 16 and into theinterior of the box instead of being interposed between flap 16 and theend panel 15. The flaps 16, 16, 1 6 are adhered with an adhesive to therespective end panel 15 With which they are in juxtaposition, and thatportion of the face of flap 16a which is in juxtaposition with an endpanel 15 and which extends from the juncture of flap 16a with the sidepanel 14 to which it is secured to the line of detachment 19 also isadhered with an adhesive to the end panel .15 with which it is injuxtaposition leaving tab 18, however, unadhered to other members of thebottom section of the box so that the tab .18 can be detached withoutdifliculty 'When detachment is desired merely by tearing the tab 18 fromthe flap 16a along the line of detachment .19. The flap 20 providedalong the distal end of each end panel 15, then is folded over the upperedges of the flaps 16, 16 or flaps 16 and 160 as the case may be and areadhered with an adhesive to the inner faces of flaps 16, 16 in the onecase and flaps 16, 16a in the other case. The folding of flaps 20, overthe upper edges of flaps 16, 16, 16 and 16a and the adherence of oneflap 20 to the inner faces of flaps 16, 16 and the adherence of theother flap 20 to the inner faces of flaps 16 and 16a not only imparts amore pleasing appearance to the box bottom but also providesreinforcement to the upper edges of the end panels of the box.

It will be appreciated that any printed matter desired to be placed onthe bottom section 10 of the box should be printed on the box blank 11before it is folded as described above. At the same time, any printedmatter desired to be placed on the detachable tab 18 also can beapplied.

It will be appreciated that various modifications of the above describedconstruction can be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. Thus, it will be realized that flaps 16, 16, 16 and 16a canbe attached to end panels 15, 15 and adhered to the inner faces of sidepanels 14, 14 instead of as described. Indeed, detachable tab 18 can beattached directly to the edge of a side panel or end panel of the box,the side panels being attached to the end panels along their adjacentedges with tape applied over the exterior surfaces of the panels andbinding the adjacent edges of the side and end panels together.

I claim:

'1. A container that includes an open-top rectangularshaped bottomsection, said bottom section of said container comprising arectangular-shaped bottom panel, two opposed vertical end panelsdisposed at opposite ends of the rectangular-shaped bottom panel andattached along their bottom edges to the end edges of therectangular-shaped bottom panel, and two opposed vertical side panelsdisposed at opposite sides of the rectangular-shaped bottom panel andattached along their bottom edges to the respective side edges of therectangular-shaped bottom panel, each said side panel having a flapattached along each of its vertical side edges, each said flap beingfolded inwardly along the line of demarcation between the flap and theside panel to which it is attached and being in juxtaposition with anend panel of said bottom section, the face of each said flap injuxtaposition with an end panel being adhered to the inner face of theend panel with which the respective flap is in juxtaposition, one ofsaid flaps having a tab attached to the distal end thereof, said tabextending inwardly into the interior of said bottom section and beingunattached to the components of the said bottom section of the boxexcept along the said line of attachment of the tab to the said flapwith which it is joined, said tab being readily detachable from the saidflap with which it is associated, said tab in the detached form servingas a means for determining sales of the item packaged in the containerand as a reorder tab that indicates when transmitted to the manufacturerof the item packaged in the container a desire that the manufacturerfurnish a replacement item for the one which has been sold.

2. A container that includes an open-top rectangularshaped bottomsection, said bottom section of said container comprising arectangular-shaped bottom panel, two opposed vertical end panelsdisposed at opposite ends of the rectangular-shaped bottom panel andattached along their bottom edges to the end edges of therectangular-shaped bottom panel, and two opposed vertical side panelsdisposed at opposite sides of the rectangularshaped bottom panel andattached along their bottom edges to the respective side edges of therectangularshaped bottom panel, each said side panel having a flapattached along each of its vertical side edges, each said flap beingfolded inwardly along the line of demarcation between the flap and theside panel to which it is attached and being in juxtaposition with anend pane-l of said bottom section, the face of each said flap injuxtaposition with an end panel being adhered to the inner face of theend panel with which the respective flap is in juxtaposition, one ofsaid flaps having a tab attached to the distal end thereof, the line ofjunction of said tab to said flap being perforated so that said tab canbe detached readily from the fiap, said tab extending inwardly into theinterior of said bottom section and being unattached to the componentsof the said bottom section of the box except along the said line ofattachment of the tab to the said flap with which it is joined, said tab.When detached from the bottom section of the box serving as a means fordetermining sales of the item packaged in the container and as a reordertab that indicates when transmitted to the manufacturer of the itempackaged in the container a desire that the manufacturer furnish areplacement item for the one which has been sold.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 272,327 2/1883Rogers 22932 911,884 2/1909 Kyle. 1,695,143 12/1928 Drapeau. 1,811,1356/1931 Knowlton 22932 2,321,952 6/1943 Taylor 206-78 2,390,412 12/ 1945Axberg 229-51 FOREIGN PATENTS 867,053 5/1961 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primaly Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, J. F. McNULTY,

Assistant Examiners.

1. A CONTAINER THAT INCLUDES AN OPEN-TOP RECTANGULARSHAPED BOTTOMSECTION, SAID BOTTOM SECTION OF SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING ARECTANGULAR-SHAPED BOTTOM PANEL, TWO OPPOSED VERTICAL END PANELSDISPOSED AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE RECTANGULAR-SHAPED BOTTOM PANEL ANDATTACHED ALONG THEIR BOTTOM EDGES TO THE END EDGES OF THERECTANGULAR-SHAPED BOTTOM PANEL, AND TWO OPPOSED VERTICAL SIDE PANELSDISPOSED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE RECTANGULAR-SHAPED BOTTOM PANEL ANDATTACHED ALONG THEIR BOTTOM EDGES TO THE RESPECTIVE SIDE EDGES OF THERECTANGULAR-SHAPED BOTTOM PANEL, EACH SAID SIDE PANEL HAVIN A FLAPATTACHED ALONG EACH OF ITS VERTICAL SIDE EDGES, EACH SAID FLAP BEINGFOLDED INWARDLY ALONG THE LINE OF DEMARCATION BETWEEN THE FLAP AND THESIDE PANEL TO WHICH IT IS ATTACHED AND BEING IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH ANEND PANEL OF SAID BOTTOM SECTION, THE FACE OF EACH SAID FLAP INJUXTAPOSITION WITH AN END PANEL BEING ADHERED TO THE INNER FACE OF THEEND PANEL WITH WHICH THE RESPECTIVE FLAP IS IN JUXTAPOSITION, ONE OFSAID FLAPS HAVING A TAB ATTACHED TO THE DISTAL END THEREOF, SAID TABEXTENDING INWARDLY INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BOTTOM SECTION AND BEINGUNATTACHED TO THE COMPONENTS OF THE SAID BOTTOM SECTION OF THE BOXEXCEPT ALONG THE SAID LINE OF ATTACHMENT OF THE TAB TO THE SAID FLAPWITH WHICH IT IS JOINED, SAID TAB BEING READILY DETACHABLE FROM THE SAIDFLAP WITH WHICH IT IS ASSOCIATED, SAID TAB IN THE DETACHED FORM SERVINGAS A MEANS FOR DETERMINEING SALES OF THE ITEM PACKAGED IN THE CONTAINERAND AS A REORDER TAB THAT INDICATES WHEN TRANSMITTED TO THE MANUFACTUREROF THE ITEM PACKAGED IN THE CONTAINER A DESIRE THAT THE MANUFACTURERFURNISH A REPLACEMENT ITEM FOR THE ONE WHICH HAS BEEN SOLD.